Chapter 323
Duke Huam quickly jumped in.
“Big Brother, I believe in my nephew, Christian. He is your bloodline, after all.”
“Hey, brother. Playing dirty, are we? Weren't you the one calling Christian a madman just a moment ago?”
“When did I ever say that, middle brother? Slandering others is not befitting of the magnanimous Destruction Demonic House.”
“You damn poisoner!”
For reference, the house heads, having grown much closer while fighting the Four Kings' Castle together, seemed to have decided to address each other as brothers, with Nordian as the eldest, Grand Duke Vessian as the middle brother, and Duke Huam as the youngest.
Chris held back his laughter and spoke.
“Do not worry too much. I will succeed, without fail.”
The three house heads stared at him for a moment.
Grand Duke Vessian opened his mouth.
“Instead, there is a condition. Did you say you were going to the main castle of the Four Kings' Castle?”
“Yes.”
To bring about the miracle Chris was thinking of, he first had to raid the Four Kings' Castle.
“Take Kashmir with you. He'll be of help.”
Chris had a puzzled look on his face.
Kashmir had completely absorbed the Flame of Ruin and was much stronger than before.
However, only his destructive power had been brutishly strengthened, so he wouldn’t be of much help in this operation, would he?
“For you to suggest I take Lord Kashmir, could it be?”
“That’s right.”
Grand Duke Vessian nodded coolly.
“Since you're going all the way there anyway, turn the Four Kings' Castle into a wasteland. Land a proper blow on those damn gloomy bastards.”
* * *
At the foot of the Corridor of Death.
In the outer regions of the corridor, sporadic battles were taking place between the two camps.
“There are the bastards from the Dark Demonic House.”
“Don’t let them get away.”
Sorcerers from the Curse Demonic House moved with their familiars.
It seemed to be a reconnaissance unit, so they were not a particularly strong force.
However, there was one figure who stood out.
He was a figure who still looked like a boy, but his skills were outstanding for his age.
“Oho? There’s a decent-looking one. Did the Dark Demonic House have another talent like that?”
“What should we do?”
“Capture him alive. He will make a good experimental subject.”
There is a saying on the continent.
That it is better to take your own life than to be captured alive by a sorcerer from the Four Kings' Castle.
Because you will be subjected to horrific human experiments.
Furthermore, after death, you will be turned into a puppet that is neither living nor dead, a chimerical monster, or an undead, and will not even find peace.
What the Four Kings' Castle especially coveted were rookies with young, trained bodies.
Because they could be experimented on in various ways for a long, long time. It was also advantageous for making high-performance puppets.
“We can’t let him get away. Capture that one, no matter what.”
Fortunately, the young man from the Dark Demonic House did not flee.
On the contrary, he foolishly made a stand to the very end so that the other magi could escape.
He fought outstandingly well on his own, but in the end, it was no use.
He couldn't withstand the overlapping curses and began to stagger, finally collapsing with a thud.
“We’ve caught him.”
“Handle him with care. He must not be scratched. Bind him carefully and send him to the main castle. The Head Elder will use him as an experimental subject.”
Emily of the Crimson Eyes.
She was the Head Elder of the Four Kings' Castle and one of the Three Abysses, the 8-Star Absolutes of the Curse Demonic House.
She was currently in charge of protecting the main castle of the Four Kings' Castle.
‘The other Three Abysses and the Four Kings are all out on the battlefield, and she was very displeased about being left alone at the main castle. If I present an experimental subject like this, she won't forget my contribution.’
For reference, there were originally three 8-Star Absolutes protecting the main castle.
However, when the Tri-Alliance joined the war as reinforcements and even the quiescent Karn Empire of the Alliance began its advance, the other two left for the battlefield, leaving Emily of the Crimson Eyes as the only 8-Star magus currently at the main castle.
The sorcerer from the Curse Demonic House looked down at the fallen young man from the Dark Demonic House.
A handsome appearance that drew admiration.
Emily of the Crimson Eyes, who was particular about the appearance of her test subjects, would surely be greatly pleased.
‘She treats them more harshly the more outstanding their appearance is. How pitiful.’
The sorcerer from the Curse Demonic House smirked and turned his back.
But there was something he didn't know.
At the last moment, when no one was looking, the fallen boy from the Dark Demonic House secretly showed an expression.
It was a smile of success.
* * *
Meanwhile, at that moment.
High in the vast sky.
A great dragon with six pairs of wings was cutting through the heavens.
It was the Demon Dragon King, Ashtarte.
On the Demon Dragon King’s back, a handsome man with a neat impression, dressed in a gentleman's suit, was lying down and yawning.
“Ryong-ryong. Can't you drive a little better? The ride is so uncomfortable.”
He was treating the great Demon Dragon King like a mere carriage.
But Ashtarte couldn't say a word.
[…I will be careful.]
Because his opponent was the Magus Chancellor.
In particular, the Magus Chancellor seemed to be in an unusually bad mood today, so he couldn't even complain.
Ashtarte cautiously observed him, then opened his mouth.
[…Did something happen, by any chance?]
“……”
The Magus Chancellor didn't answer, simply raising his long pipe to inhale the smoke.
“What is the status of the Mystic Demonic House?”
[…They have nearly completed the altar.]
“Hmm?”
The Magus Chancellor showed his interest.
“That’s fast. Has the plan already progressed that far? And the location of the altar? Is it ‘that place’?”
[Yes, that is correct. The location is close to the Four Kings' Castle, and it would be impossible to activate the altar unless it were in a place with such a high concentration of demonic energy.]
“All that’s left is the ‘vessel’, then. They failed to secure Idrinne, so what do they plan to do?”
[It seems they are targeting Christian.]
An astounding story.
“Hmm.”
The Magus Chancellor, with a puzzled expression, took a deep drag from his long pipe.
[It has been confirmed that the Mystic Demonic House's 'Order of Heretic Priests' has recently departed.]
“‘The Order of Heretic Priests’, you mean that fanatical battle group?”
[Yes. Their target appears to be Christian. It seems their plan is to 'capture' Christian by taking an opportunity during this war with the Four Kings' Castle.]
A chilling story.
[…Is it alright to just stand by and watch?]
“What do you mean?”
[The one leading the Order of Heretic Priests is a Cardinal, no less. He is not an opponent Christian can possibly face.]
The Demon Dragon King spoke, testing the waters.
[Did you not show interest in Christian? If left like this, Christian will eventually be reduced to a 'vessel'.]
But the Magus Chancellor just smirked and replied.
“If that happens, then that's as far as Christian goes. He's not worth paying any more attention to.”
It was a harsh statement.
No matter how great Christian was, he was no match for a Cardinal and a battle group from the Mystic Demonic House.
Still, the Magus Chancellor was serious.
Because the hardships of the fates that lay before Christian were incomparable to a mere crisis like this.
It would be better if he were to be broken now, if he was going to be broken at all.
However.
‘Somehow, I have a feeling something interesting will happen this time as well.’
The Magus Chancellor looked down at the mortal plane and let out a smirk.
* * *
In the depths of a land of endless gray.
A giant fortress was situated.
It was the Four Kings' Castle.
It was a fortress of enormous scale, so large that it overwhelmed even the imperial capital of the Karn Empire, said to be the largest city in the Alliance.
Most of the territory of the Four Kings' Castle was difficult for people to live in, so they had gathered in one place, creating this massive fortress.
But contrary to its large scale, there was no sign of life.
The atmosphere was heavy, like a city of the dead.
Because the magi of the Four Kings' Castle treated the people below them as livestock and ruled through fear.
A carriage entered the gray city, which was filled with nothing but foreboding.
[Halt. What are you transporting?]
At the question from the lich in charge of the fortress walls, the magus leading the carriage replied.
“It is an experimental subject to be presented to the Head Elder.”
[To the Head Elder?]
As if coveting the test subject, a look of greed appeared in the lich’s eyes.
“Yes. It is a top-grade specimen we rarely acquire, so we are handling it with great care.”
[…Yes, what a shame. Perhaps, when the Head Elder grows tired of him, a chance might come my way as well. Go on in.]
Creeak, the carriage passed through the fortress walls and entered.
The carriage headed for the main castle within the outer castle, and to the tower at its center.
It was the 'Tower of the Four Kings', where the Castle Lord resides.
Currently, the Head Elder, Emily of the Crimson Eyes, was staying there.
“You’ve brought the experimental subject?”
Emily was a woman with a horrific face, half of which was that of a beautiful young woman, and the other half that of a hideous old crone.
“Yes, please take a look.”
“Ooh, how beautiful.”
Emily opened the coffin, looked at the boy’s face, and let out a cry of admiration.
“He truly is a top-grade specimen. I will be sure to never forget this contribution.”
“Thank you. We will take our leave.”
Emily's eyes, scanning the boy, flashed with a ghastly, blood-red light.
“Ah, how truly beautiful. It's like looking at a statue. I shall give you my special, tender love.”
She headed with the boy to a deep, secret chamber in the tower.
It was filled with all sorts of horrific experimental tools whose purpose was difficult to guess, a scene even more grotesque than a torture chamber.
Emily placed the boy on a rack, then activated a magic circle.
The magic circle, of a foreboding shape, began to emit an ash-gray energy.
“Hehe, it's a magic to connect your mind with mine. It is to check in detail what kind of reactions your mind shows while you undergo the experiments.”
Of course, this was a measure taken due to her own wicked tastes.
Having been left with the face of a horrific monster due to the side effects of a curse, she enjoyed experimenting on and inflicting pain upon those with beautiful appearances.
By connecting their minds in this way, she could savor even the slightest pain of her subject without missing a thing.
“Don’t you worry. I won't let you go mad so easily. There are many experiments I want to perform. Let us enjoy them, one by one, slowly.”
Emily’s blood dripped onto the magic circle.
It was a high-level black magic technique that used blood as the basis of a ‘pact’ to connect their minds as one.
Paaaaaaah!
The magic circle began to activate in earnest, and their two minds began to connect.
‘Ah. What a vast and solid mind.’
Emily let out a gasp of admiration.
The boy was not just beautiful in appearance.
The vessel of his mind was also incomparably superior to that of an ordinary person.
She had only connected to its surface, and yet, she could not see its end.
It was so high and lofty that it naturally drew admiration. It felt noble.
A shiver ran down her spine, as if she were overwhelmed by a work of art bestowed by the heavens.
‘More, more. I want to feel more.’
As if possessed, Emily delved into the deep world of the boy’s mind.
Going this deep meant exposing her own mind defenselessly, but she did not stop.
Like honey drawing a bee.
As if enchanted, she hurriedly went deeper.
And then.
‘Ah.’
The moment she faced the vast, deep world of his mind, Emily froze.
It was not simply a matter of admiration.
It was awe.
It was as if she had become a lowly creature standing before the great cosmos.
‘How can such a mental world exist?’
It was in that moment.
A chill belatedly ran down Emily's spine.
‘This is not the kind of vessel an ordinary person could possess.’
Realizing that something was wrong, her complexion turned pale.